


Some Things You Can't Undo

by michaely



Series: Ms. Black Eyeliner Chronicles (Victoria) [3]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Chasemarsh fluff (at least at the beginning), Drama, Drama & Romance, F/F, cameos from BtS characters!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:08:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29968239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/michaely/pseuds/michaely
Summary: "One of them's you."Victoria's relationship with Kate was left up in the air at the conclusion of "Hopeless, Romantic." Victoria's relationship with Steph was left up in the air at the conclusion of "Build Me a Heart." This is when it all comes crashing down.The final installment of "Ms. Black Eyeliner Chronicles."
Relationships: Victoria Chase & Kate Marsh, Victoria Chase & Steph Gingrich, Victoria Chase/Kate Marsh, Victoria Chase/Steph Gingrich
Series: Ms. Black Eyeliner Chronicles (Victoria) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2014729
Kudos: 4





	1. My Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In order to understand Victoria's relationship with Jungkook, you will have to read my other series "The Art of Saying Bye," where Victoria plays a bit role.
> 
> The celebration featuring Victoria, Kate, Max, and Chloe is detailed in "Hopeless, Romantic" chapter 5 "Super Honeymoon."
> 
> Anthony and Katherine are characters also introduced in "Hopeless, Romantic." Anthony is actually based on YouTuber Tone Loke who runs the Downward Thrust channel. Katherine, on the other hand, well, I'll leave it to you to do some research into who Katherine McBride might be.
> 
> "My Girl" - Ain't Too Proud Musical Cast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYXlxUb0XUc

**Aug 2024**

Victoria wakes as she feels the subtle shifting of weight beside her on the mattress. This miniscule sensation is enough to stir her. Her eyelids flutter open, and she catches sight of the culprit: Kate Marsh, lying on her side facing directly toward Victoria. Kate's eyes remain closed for the time being, but Victoria can tell when Kate has actually awoken. It's always that nearly imperceptible twitch of her nose which gives it away.

"Good morning," Victoria calls out softly.

Kate lets out a gentle moan, following it with her own rendition of "Good morning." Her eyes stay closed.

"Do you want me to make breakfast this time?" Victoria offers.

A weak "No," escapes from Kate's lips. She has to open them wide soon thereafter as a hearty yawn flows out. "It's my turn."

"You sure? You worked late last night." 

Victoria has seen Kate running herself ragged the last few weeks. Kate's debut children's book _Fabulous Foibles of Phineas the Finch_ is about to go to print, and it's been an intense crunch time at the offices of Puffin Publishing House.

"A deal's a deal," Kate affirms.

"I'll make coffee then."

"Mmhmm," Kate moans in agreement.

Victoria gives Kate a short peck on her forehead, then rolls out of bed, placing her bare feet to the floor.

She takes the steps out of Kate's bedroom and into the kitchen, where she puts water to boil in the electric kettle. She grinds some Columbian dark roast and places the resultant grounds into the French press, followed then by the hot water. The aroma is enough to bring Kate out into the open. She comes in rubbing her eyes. Her long blond mane isn't quite completely contained in her usual neat bun, some loose tendrils flying about at the moment. Victoria stifles a giggle. Clearly, the boar bristle brush from Christmas wasn't getting put to use recently.

Victoria pours the invigorating liquid into Kate's Princess Mononoke mug. Kate holds out both hands to receive the beverage. Something that's always fascinated Victoria is how Kate never seems to fully open her eyes when she gets the coffee. It seems unlikely to Victoria that Kate could be operating with full visual faculties, so the only explanation is that Kate could locate the coffee on instinct. The heart wants what it wants, after all.

Victoria grabs her "World's Best Boss" mug from the cabinet and serves herself as well. That mug was the only thing she kept at Kate's place. It had been a few months since the, well, perhaps "separation" is the only accurate way to categorize it. Their coupling had kicked off under some of the most unusual circumstances. But once the novelty wore off, they were forced to address some not-so-tidy incongruities in how the two of them viewed their relationship and each other. It was eventually decided that this process was best conducted at a distance from one another. Victoria had gotten a full-time job of her own anyway, so it just made sense to exercise some independence until those matters could be reconciled.

Victoria stayed the night at Kate's place about a couple times a week. Before Kate got so busy with her new book, the two of them would catch a show at the theater or drink craft beers at microbreweries operated by guys named Landon and Holden who had well-groomed handlebar mustaches and wore flannel ironically. Recently they were just binging Asian dramas ( _Put Your Head on My Shoulder_ was turning out to be a revelation for Kate) and falling asleep on the couch with half a pint of Ben and Jerry's melting away overnight. At least this most recent evening they had managed to make it to bed and brushed their teeth and dressed in pajamas to boot.

Kate hadn't yet been invited to Victoria's apartment in Auburn. "I haven't gotten the decor quite how I like it," Victoria would insist.

Kate swallows the last sip, and by then she has enough life force running through her veins to whip up some scrambled eggs and sautéed tomatoes.

"How is it?" Kate asks as Victoria pops the first bite past her pearly white teeth and into her mouth.

"Mm," Victoria shuts her eyes, gives an approving nod as she chews. "You've gotten so much better."

Kate smiles into her next round of coffee. After another sip, she inquires, "Did you decide what dessert you wanted for tonight?"

"Shoot, forgot to look at that."

"I have to call in this morning so they have time to prepare it. I sent the menu to your phone. Can you make a decision while I'm in the shower?"

"Sure thing."

Kate finishes the last few gulps of her coffee and makes for the bathroom. She stops along the way to return Victoria's favor from earlier, placing a dainty kiss on her forehead too.

Victoria retrieves her phone from her Burberry handbag and starts studying the dessert selection from the restaurant she and Kate are set to visit later that night. Tiramisu. Orange almond cake. Panna cotta.

And then comes a notification. She hadn't saved the number in her contacts, but she knows very well who it belongs to. She didn't even have to read the message for her nerves to start prickling. No new words or thoughts or feelings need to be introduced, actually. The memories alone are enough of an emotional minefield. She bites her lip, and her thumb trembles as it hovers over the option to open the message, but she eventually decides to swipe the alert away instead.

Victoria exhales a slow breath. She willfully settles the jitters in her limbs, one by one. Even after all these years, the memories still get to her.

* * *

"Now open," Kate instructs, removing her hands away from Victoria's eyes.

Victoria audibly gasps as she starts taking in all the visuals. The entirety of The Pink Door is empty, seemingly reserved just for herself and Kate. The glittering chandeliers overhead cast down their warm glow onto the rustic and cozy confines of the restaurant with its sandy hardwood floor and that mural of a clown playing the accordion.

"Happy birthday," Kate says.

Instead of diners at each table, there rests framed photographs of Victoria at various points of her life. One picture from August 14, 1995, Mrs. Chase, not much older than Victoria was right now, cradling her new daughter's tiny and fragile newborn body in her arms. One picture of Victoria celebrating with her teammates as they claimed that year's Washington State Prep School Championship in football. One picture of Victoria in her graduation cap and gown, holding a commemorative bouquet of red carnations at her commencement from Bryn Mawr College.

"Jessica helped me track down some of these," Kate explained.

Victoria grins even wider as she picks up the photo of herself and Kate alongside Max and Chloe. It was taken at the covert sushi bar of Masaharu Morimoto, when the foursome were celebrating Kate and Victoria's recent "marriage." Chloe was by then slugging the house special "Fortieth Heavy Sheep" whisky straight from the bottle and throwing up the devil horns.

"Simpler times, huh?" Kate comments.

"We were so young and innocent," Victoria adds.

"Were you really that innocent?" Kate teases.

Victoria sticks out her tongue in defiance.

"There's still one more surprise," Kate announces.

"Even after all this?"

"I remember you got so bummed because we couldn't get tickets to _Ain't Too Proud_."

"Yeah, it seems like only the lizard people are getting seats to that show."

"Then I thought, why not bring the show to us?"

Victoria tilts her head quizzically as Kate claps her hands. A familiar groovy bass intro starts to play through the speaker system. A spotlight flashes on the corner stage where they usually held jazz concerts. This time it's occupied by Derrick Baskin, Jawan M. Jackson, Jeremy Pope, James Harkness, and Ephraim Sykes, the original Broadway cast of the jukebox musical _Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations_. They are decked out in the Temptations' signature suits of purple and white.

Victoria has long prided herself on exemplifying grace and composure, but there's no other way to say it, she just loses her shit when she catches sight of these five idols of hers. 

_"I've got sunshine_

_On a cloudy day."_

"How..." Victoria stares on in disbelief. "The fuck?"

"Max met them when she shot a feature for one of her art magazines in LA," Kate explains. "She helped me connect with them."

_"When it's cold outside,_

_I've got the month of May."_

"This is so amazing," Victoria remarks breathlessly.

"You're amazing," Kate clarifies. "You deserve it."

_"I guess you'd say_

_What can make me feel this way?"_

Victoria gazes back at Kate. Victoria finds this immensely striking warmth radiating through her whole self, seeping down into her bones and leaving a tingling sensation in its wake.

_"My girl."_

"There's something I've wanted to tell you," Kate spoke up again.

"Yeah?"

"I know it's such a cliché, but I have found that distance really does make the heart grow fonder," Kate confesses. "Ever since you moved out, even after all this craziness with the book set in, I have just constantly been hoping to have more moments with you. More dinners, more movies, more pints of chunky monkey ice cream, more everything." Kate tucks a few loose strands of her dirty blond hair behind her ear. "I understand there's still plenty for us to work through, but please know I'm so completely invested in making us the best we can be." Kate continues, "I feel so good about life when I'm with you." She laughs to herself. "Sorry, I can't think of a more elegant way to put it, but--"

Victoria jolts the monologue to a sudden halt as she presses her lips tenderly to Kate's. Kate gets startled momentarily, but that wears off relatively soon. Kate then responds in kind by reaching to interlace her fingers with Victoria's.

_"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day with my girl."_

"Don't worry," Victoria reassures her after withdrawing from the kiss, "I think I know what you mean."

_"I've even got the month of May with my girl."_

Kate beams a hopeful smile at her. "Well, we've literally got wine, women, and song here. Let's enjoy tonight."

_"Talkin' 'bout, talkin' 'bout, talkin' 'bout my girl."_

Victoria flashes back a cheerful smirk. They sit down at the one table reserved for just them. Upon the surface is set a few servings of ahi tuna with fried capers and a tapenade on crusty bread. 

_"Ooh, my girl."_

As she sips her glass of Chilean merlot, Victoria finds herself grateful for the possibilities she feels for the future. The future can be full and fulfilling and bright, if she wanted so much to take it. The memories didn't have to be what take hold of her. The memories can be better left alone.

_"It's all I can talk about is my girl."_

* * *

"I..." Kate stammers. "I honestly can't believe it."

"Neither could I!" Katherine exclaims from the other end of the video call. "But he just showed up at the front lawn of my villa and was all, 'Katherine McBride, I love you and I WILL marry you!'" She raises her left hand to display an engagement ring with a diamond the size of a baby's fist.

"Omigosh, just like in _Big Fish_?" Kate asks.

"I'm Obi-Wan, motherfuckers!" Anthony calls out in pride. He plants an unabashed smooch on the blushing cheek of Katherine beside him.

"I think the character's name was Ed Bloom," Victoria specifies.

"Hey, we're gonna go all out on this wedding once we get back to Seattle," Anthony boasts. "Kate, you gotta be my best man."

"No way!" Katherine objects. "I called dibs on her as my maid of honor."

"I've known her longer!" Anthony whines.

"How can a woman be the best MAN? What's in your head?"

"You're always saying gender roles should more fluid--"

"Guys, guys!" Kate interjects. "I think we can hammer out those details later. For now, let's focus on the fact that you two are so in love and are gonna make that official and forever."

Katherine gives a contented sigh. "She's right," she says to Anthony. "She's always right."

"This is why we need you, Kate," Anthony declares. "I'll hit you up once the planning begins."

"For now you should just be celebrating," Kate instructs. "So go!"

"Love you, bye!" Katherine shouts out as the call ends.

Victoria giggles in bemusement. "How about that? Those two, of all people."

"Well, they had their problems," Kate concedes, "But I guess when something's meant to be, it's just gonna happen."

Victoria finds a small measure of solace in that sentiment, the idea that if there truly is someone who's right for her, she'll end up there regardless of any other tumult that could arise. But then again, how could she be so sure there was indeed someone right for her?

That train of thought is broken as she catches sight of the clock. "I really should get going. Don't wanna get there too late."

"Right," Kate affirms.

The two get up from Kate's couch. Victoria rolls her suitcase to the front door of Kate's condo with Kate following behind.

"Be safe, OK?" Kate beckons.

"Thanks for worrying," Victoria replies with sincerity.

"You sure you'll be alright? Going back?"

"This is for my parents. They deserve it."

* * *

Victoria pulls her Subaru BRZ into the parking lot of the newly constructed Arcadia Bay Embassy Suites. It was another one of Sean Prescott's new real estate projects. He had been hailed as the town's conquering hero after the storm, pouring gobs of money in redeveloping the ravaged land and driving new investment to the region. He vowed for the Bay to become "a lasting tribute to endurance, perseverance, and recovery."

The Chase estate was another plot of land that had been bought up by the Prescott Conglomerate, at far below market value, Victoria would note. No matter, though, she hadn't ever intended on living there again anyway.

She's back in town because she had been invited to a ceremony in which the newly renovated Blackwell Academy library was to be christened as the Willem Vincent and Margaret Chase Memorial Library. Victoria had initially been offered the naming honor for herself, in commemoration of her bravery in the face of not just the storm but also her abduction at the hands of Jefferson. Victoria stoutly refused, not eager for that experience to be forever enshrined in history. She proposed instead for her parents to have the privilege instead.

Victoria checks into her room and runs her body under the shower for a moment, just to refresh herself after being in the car for so long. She orders caesar salad (with anchovies) from room service. After dinner, she receives a call from yet another old friend with more big news.

"Goodness," Victoria remarks, "It seems like everyone's getting married."

"Lisa wants to have it soon because of the pregnancy," Jungkook explains. "She's afraid she'll get too big to fit in her dress."

"Oh please, that girl could grow THREE babies--"

"Good lord, don't frighten me like that." Jungkook chuckles in half-jest, half-anxiety.

"I'm just saying I've always been hella envious of how thin she is. Please let her know she shouldn't be worrying about that."

"She'll be glad to hear that." 

The sigh he gives right after lets Victoria know he's wanting to say something more. She always had been able to pick up on those tics of his. And so she opts to stay silent for a few moments more.

"You sure you can't make it?" he eventually posits.

She swipes some errant blonde bangs away from her eyes. "I don't think I can take that much time off work. That's gonna be a busy time of year for us, lots of corporate events, you know?"

"I get it," he replies. "It's just been a while since we've seen each other."

Victoria remembers what she had last told him about when they could meet again.

"I'm really sorry," she apologizes. "I'll send a kickass gift. And let me know what motif she's going for with the baby's new wardrobe."

"I'll ask her."

"Good luck with everything."

"Take care. _Annyeong_."

The call disconnects, and Victoria places her phone on the coffee table before the couch where she's seated. She leans back on the cushion and manages a single deep breath before she hears the buzzing of her mobile against the glass top. She hesitates again at the sight of the familiar number. But she figures there's no use in avoiding this now. She's already back in town, after all.

She answers this time, "Hello, Steph."


	2. Thank You, but I Don't Need A Man

The morning works out great for Victoria. She's well-practiced at this kinda thing. Wear nice clothes. Apply makeup just so. Stand up tall, shoulders back and chest out. Walk in a straight line. Look people in the eyes. Smile, sincere enough to engage them but not so intense they get intimidated.  
  
She cuts the ribbon with those comically large scissors, a gesture which officially declares the new Blackwell library as the namesake of her late parents.  
  
Her brother, Jeffrey Chase, DMD, wasn't able to make it, on account of his having to attend a dentistry conference in Las Vegas, but Victoria calls him after the ceremony to give him a recap.  
  
"They'd be very proud of you," Jeff asserts.  
  
"Nah, you've always been the golden child," Victoria maintains. "Saving the world one overbite at a time."  
  
"I told you a million times, that's orthodontics."

Victoria laughs heartily, always amused at how riled up Jeff could get about his profession. "See you at Thanksgiving, big bro."

She hangs up the call and notes the time. Still a couple of hours in case she wants to back out. Deciding to think about it over lunch, she heads to the local Fleming's (another one of Prescott's new developments) and orders a filet mignon au poivre with cognac sauce.

With every bite she contemplates how crazy she must be to have even considered this in the first place.

* * *

Victoria pulls up the Subaru to the modest rambler ranch home that Steph Gingrich now shares with Drew North. After graduating from New York University, Steph had taken the job of drama teacher at Blackwell while Drew had also returned to town to become coach of the Bigfoots. The salary of a public school employee being what it is, the two of them still needed to live with a roommate.

"He's not so bad," Steph would explain. "Pays his half of the rent on time, doesn't leave smelly socks in the communal hamper for too long."

Victoria sits in her car for a moment. She grips the steering wheel quite tightly. It's still not too late to slam your foot on that pedal and go bolting down the street, she thinks to herself, away from here and back to the world that she can acceptably predict, control, and account for. Then again, you wouldn't have this story if she'd done that.

Stepping up to the front door, which bears a decal in a graceful serif font that reads "Wipe your shoes. Unless you got $200 to shampoo the carpet," Victoria raises her well-manicured hand and gives it a few solid raps.

Alright, Chase, she ponders inwardly, still got a chance. You can just turn around, and--

The door swings open to reveal the vivaciously beaming mug of Steph Gingrich, whose unfettered enthusiasm at this reunion is evident in the way she leaps forth and ensnares Victoria around the shoulders in a gleeful embrace.

Victoria is nearly bowled over, not just from the physical impact of the hug but from the immensity of remembrance that strikes her. It could never be denied that she and Steph shared such a great deal of momentous experiences in their brief time together. Even with all the years that have passed, those memories aren't shaken away so easily.

Victoria remains frozen for a good while. When she can finally find it in herself to reach up and return the hug, Steph has already released her hold.

"It's so good to see you again," Steph states earnestly. "And you look fantastic."

Victoria smiles, but tries to glance away so as to hide some of the blush in her cheeks. "Thanks. Working for an organic caterer, better eating habits just come naturally, I guess."

"Ugh, I'm jelly. Drew isn't much of a cook. I once saw him trying to make a grilled cheese sandwich using an iron."

Victoria lets out an animated laugh as the two of them started their way across the front lawn and back to the car.

Victoria recalls the reason for her invitation in the first place. "So you said you wanted some help picking out a gift for a friend's birthday?"

"Right," Steph affirms. "And the places we're gonna go, they'll seem a bit unconventional at first, just warning ya."

Victoria hadn't ever known Steph to be conventional in the slightest, so a warning isn't really needed. The two of them enter the Subaru. Victoria starts up the engine and rolls the car out onto the road proper. The last track she was listening to starts up again on her stereo.

_"I drank too much last night, got bills to pay..."_

"Oh my god," Steph says with an exasperated groan. "Do NOT tell me you still listen to Dido."

"What's wrong with Dido?" Victoria asks in defense.

"If paint drying had a soundtrack, it would be Dido," Steph asserts.

Victoria rolls her emerald eyes. "Fine, you pick something to listen to, wiseass."

Steph takes Victoria's phone and scrolls through the playlist. Steph smiles wide as she finds just the perfect song.

_"This is for_

_All the independent ladies."_

At that utterance from Lee Minyoung, Steph gives a spirited cheer. "Woo! Lesbian anthem of the decade!"

Victoria squints in confusion. "I don't think that's exactly what this one's about--"

By then, Steph has already started singing along:

_"Naneun namja eobsi jal sara,_

_Geureoni jasini eobseumyeon nae gyeote ojireul ma!"_

Victoria smirks as she watches Steph out the corner of her eye. Back when this song first came out, Suzy Bae was indisputably one of the most gorgeous women on the face of the planet. But as Steph mimics her vocals now, it's Steph who looks so stunning to Victoria. Of course Steph having her hair back is a major contributing factor.

"Come on, join in!" Steph beckons.

"I don't think I remember the words," Victoria protests. "It's been a minute."

"You at least know the English parts!"

Then Steph demonstrates:

_"I don't need a man, I don't need a man!_

_What?"_

Steph grabs a spare lint brush that Victoria keeps in the cupholder and holds it up to Victoria's mouth to imitate a microphone. Victoria, however, doesn't quite catch on just yet and doesn't participate in the next refrain of "I don't need a man."

Steph scowls in disappointment but insists even harder once again.

_"I don't need a man, I don't need a man!_

_Jeongman?"_

Now with Steph practically shoving the pretend microphone up Victoria's nose, the blonde woman can't help but make her own contribution.

_"I don't need a man, I don't need a man!"_

Steph claps her hands delightedly as she wraps up the chorus.

_"Naneun namja eobsi jal jal sara."_

Victoria finds Steph's enthusiasm to be positively infectious. It's that same magnetism of hers which has continued unabated from so long ago. And so, Victoria feels it easy and natural to belt out the first verse with Steph.

_"Nae doneuro bangse da nae..."_

* * *

"You..." Victoria scratches her head. "You wanted to buy knives?"

Steph and Victoria approach the customer service counter at the local Walmart.

"It's not the knives we're after," Steph whispers as she places the box of cutlery on top of the desk.

A pubescent employee attends the desk. He wears some prodigious Coke-bottle glasses which don't do much to hide the listless expression in his eyes. It probably wasn't his boyhood dream to spend all day delving into the intricacies of extended warranties.

"Can I help you?" the boy asks, clearly breathing out of his mouth.

"Yes, I'd like to return these," Steph states.

The boy performs a cursory inspection of the merchandise. "Any particular reason you're not happy with your purchase?"

"They aren't sharp enough to cut pipes."

The boy cocks an eyebrow. "You bought them to cut pipes?"

"No, not specifically for that purpose, but the commercials claimed they could. But it turns out they're not sharp enough, and now I don't want them anymore."

"There's a sharpener," the boy says as he points to the advertised feature on the box. "Did you try sharpening them?"

"Yes! My god, what's with the 20-point survey? Did your great grandpa forge these things in the fires of Mount Doom himself? Just give me my refund."

The boy sighs hugely. He takes the box into his scrawny arms and hauls it away to the back.

"Sorry about the delay," Steph says to Victoria. "Usually doesn't take this long. But the good thing about the return policy here is they don't require a receipt for anything under 40 dollars."

"You're strapped for cash?"

"I just wrote a check for about 30 grand to Berkley," Steph explains, referring to how she was about to start a Ph.D. program at the university in California. "Yeah, I better start pinching every penny I can."

"I could always just loan you the money."

"No way. There's nothing worse than owing a favor. And a favor involving money is extra trouble. Trust me."

The boy returns and places a twenty-dollar bill along with a ten on top of the counter. Steph scoots the cash toward herself.

"Thanks," Steph says to him.

The boy merely gives a noncommittal grunt.

"Besides," Steph continues as she and Victoria make their way toward the exit, "Isn't there more fun in the journey?"

Victoria laughs silently. Yeah, always leave it to Steph to take care of the adventure.

And Steph hadn't been exaggerating either when she mentioned that they'd be visiting some unconventional locales. The next stop was her dentist's office, where she would exchange her 30 dollars for a large canister of laughing gas.

With said canister slung over her shoulder, Steph would lead Victoria through the lobby of the Motel 6, located on the direct opposite side of the train tracks as the Embassy Suites where Victoria was staying.

Steph casually makes her way to the stairwell which leads into the maintenance area of the basement. Past the cramped confines of tangled pipes which groan in protest against their job of carrying water to the various rooms, they eventually come upon a dimly lit room. In fact, the only lighting is a single bulb hanging by a string. Directly underneath the bulb is a plexiglass folding table. On top of the table is a simple chess set. And hunkered over that chess set are two figures.

One is a woman with fiery red hair styled into a chic French bob. She wears a black tea length dress over a white blouse. The other contestant is a tall man of wiry build. His pencil mustache plus goatee combo is the only belying factor to his otherwise puerile features. His dark brown hair is worn in a quiff. He is dressed in dark jeans and white T-shirt with black leather trench coat on top.

The two are engaged in a game of speed chess, their hands whizzing across the board to shuffle their respective pieces to and fro. The only noise is the banging of fists against the timer as the pair swiftly alternate turns. The gathered mass of match viewers remains deathly silent. Among the throng, Steph and Victoria pick out former Blackwell security guard and PissHead frontman Skip Matthews.

The two women wade their way through the audience and walk up to Skip, who refuses to avert his attention from the match. 

Steph tries to speak to him anyway, doing so in a barely audible hushed tone. "I got your shit."

Even so, Skip still feels the urge to shush her.

Steph bites her lip as she quells the next nasty comment. Instead, she goes with, "I'm really in a hurry here."

"Can you just wait a sec?" Skip insists, quietly yet also forcefully. "She's about to get check."

"Check," the redheaded woman calls out.

"See?" Skip announces.

The man in the trench coat purses his lips anxiously. He hesitates a brief moment, hand hovering over the board in apprehension, before making his next move.

"Not too much longer now," Skip prognosticates.

Surely enough, there are only a few more moves left to be exhausted before the man in the trench coat heaves a despairing sigh. He leans back in his chair and knocks over his king, formalizing his surrender. 

The crowd erupts into a deafening cheer.

* * *

"Holy fuck!" Skip exclaims as he emerges from the stairwell with Victoria and Steph. "Did you see how she used that outside passed pawn?"

"Completely riveting," Steph comments dryly. "Here, take this." She hands him the tank.

"Sweet!" Skip cradles his loot as if it were his newborn. "Hey, you got any balloons?"

"What am I, a birthday clown?" Steph counters. "No, I don't have balloons. Suck it out the tap like a grownup."

"Sheesh, whatever."

"Now do you have the info for where I'm supposed to go?"

"You know the quarry outside Tillamook Head?"

"I read about that. They were trying to build a mall there, but they dug into a sinkhole," Victoria adds.

"That's the one," Skip confirms. "They fenced it off, so you won't be able to see it from the road. Hop the fence and hike through the forested part for a bit. At the edge of the cliff is where she lives."

* * *

Luckily for Victoria and Steph, the section of the fence closest to the road had been crushed by a hefty branch that had fallen from a mighty oak tree. This allowed Steph and Victoria fairly easy access into the restricted grounds.

But that's where the luck ends, as an unrelenting torrent soon starts to pour down from the sky, now billowing with clouds the color of dark ash. The young women are thoroughly drenched in no time.

Neither of them had to speak on the matter, but both are confident that there is no turning back from this escapade. They're both intending to see it through to the end. Of that much, they're both sure.

And so they stumble their way through the dense, untamed underbrush as the heavens continue to open up on them. They pass construction equipment that appears to have been abandoned long ago, towering testaments to a rare instance when the inventiveness of man still had to yield.

They lose track of the minutes, as the darkening sky makes it impossible to tell the time. Eventually they spot a lone Airstream travel trailer (no vehicle in front that could haul it, however), its distinctive rounded shape and polished aluminum surface standing in stark contrast to its naturalistic surroundings. As Skip had described, the domicile is at the edge of the cliff overlooking where the earth had caved downward into a gaping chasm.

Teeth chattering, Steph and Victoria approach the structure, and Steph gives some firm knocks on the metallic door. They feel fortunate that their host is able to answer quickly.

"Come now, get out of the rain," instructs Samantha Myers.

* * *

Samantha puts water to boil on the kettle, serves chamomile tea with tiny squares of shortbread. Victoria and Steph, towels draped over their shoulders, huddle around the portable space heater.

"How long you been living here?" Victoria asks Samantha.

"Ever since the sinkhole formed," Samantha answers. "The state government put a hold on the construction because they want to declare it protected property, some outstanding natural phenomenon, you know? They're tied up in litigation with the development company that bought this land. In the meantime, I'm employed by both sides to make sure nobody steps foot here until it's all resolved."

"You're like Knight Artorias." Steph gives a sly smirk. "Samantha the Abysswalker."

"That is exactly how I'm gonna spin it on my resume, thank you!" Samantha chuckles loudly. 

"Samantha also deals in antique jewelry on the side," Steph goes on to explain to Victoria. "That's the reason we're here."

Samantha takes a sip of her tea and walks to her kitchen sink. She eventually fishes out a small brown paper bag from the deep recesses of her pantry, past the supply of beef jerky. "Here's what you came for."

Steph receives the offering with dainty hands. Victoria notices the effusive smile forming on Steph's lips. She must genuinely want her friend to get this gift.

"Listen," Samantha speaks up again, "I'd offer for you guys to stay until the rain lets up, but that doesn't look like it's happening anytime soon. And this place turns into an icebox once it's proper nighttime. My advice to you is hightail it back to civilization and get to some proper shelter."

Victoria and Steph look to one another and nod.

"I'll get you some garbage bags," Samantha offers. "At least keep your bodies dry."

And so, Samantha produces two of those XL Hefty bags, cuts out holes at the tops and sides so that Steph and Victoria can squeeze their heads and arms through. The three share their farewells, and Steph and Victoria walk back out into the rain, which hasn't let up one bit. 

But instead of setting off on their way back to the road, Steph heads in the opposite direction, toward the sinkhole. She stands at the precipice, the tips of her feet jutting out to the edge.

"It looks like it goes down forever," Steph calls out, above the din of the storm.

Victoria stands a few paces behind her, not daring to get so close to peril herself.

"But everything has an end, doesn't it?" Steph turns to look back at Victoria. "There was a time when everything felt like forever. We'd be in school forever. We'd be young forever. If we tried hard enough, we could be in love forever."

Victoria runs her fingers through her soaked hair, swiping some stray bangs away from her face.

Steph gives a weak laugh. "Look at us now. So much is lost. So much fades away." She holds up the paper bag to Victoria. "Here."

Victoria gazes back in puzzlement.

"Happy birthday," Steph clarifies.

Today had been for her all along. Victoria grins gently in gratitude. She accepts the gift and unfolds the mouth of the bag. Reaching inside, she eventually pulls out a simple round golden locket.

"Open it," Steph says.

Victoria unclasps the locket. Inside is a photo of two people she can't immediately recognize, as she hasn't seen them in the flesh for over a decade. But there's no denying. She sees her eyes in those of the man. It's Willem Vincent and Margaret on their wedding day. Victoria can tell the occasion based on his bowtie and her tiara. The expressions on their faces are so unclouded by concern or doubts over the future. For that one moment in time, what's clear is solely their love for one another.

"How..." Victoria's breath catches in her throat, preventing her from vocally formulating that thought. But Steph can ascertain what she's getting at.

"It's amazing all the things that still get pulled from the rubble. Samantha found it at a pawn shop and was planning on refurbishing it. But once she saw the photo, she knew there was only one rightful owner."

Victoria stares on in wonderment. She can recall that her mother always used to wear this around her neck, but Victoria had assumed it was just for purposes of adornment. It never occurred to her to ask exactly what could be contained within.

Victoria lunges out and, just as Steph had done earlier in the day, captures Steph in a deep hug. The force is almost enough to knock the two of them down into the valley, but for a split second, Victoria doesn't care. Victoria shudders, partly on account of the cold but also from the profundity of how touched she feels, that someone would venture all this way just to help her recapture something that would be so precious to her.

"There's something else," Steph adds.

"Seriously?" Victoria asks incredulously. "What more?"

"I remember," Steph states plainly. "I remember all of it now."


End file.
